Roger needs to start loving clay if he wants to win it
By Sheeyen
@Sheeyen (21)
Malaysia
June 9, 2008 3:18am CST
Seriously, if Roger even thinks that he has a remote chance of winning on clay, he's got to love the dirt. Frankly, at the moment, he doesn't. He doesn't like the thing. He won't even go near it. He quickly washed his hands when he fell lightly during the match with Monfils. And look at Monfils, he was rolling around on the ground like it was his own bed. Someone should just tell Roger he needs to start eating, breathing and thinking clay if he wants the trophy bad enough.
3 responses
@mensab (4200)
• Philippines
9 Jun 08
i think roger federer loves tennis overall. he does not diffrentiate whether clay, grass or hard courts. the fact that he reached the french open finals for 3 consecutive years and losing to the same man who ruled the claycourt for 4 straight years is an indication that federer can play in any surface. however, nadal is simply too much on claycourt. i think it is not about federer, it is about nadal being superb on clay.
@Sheeyen (21)
• Malaysia
9 Jun 08
Federer doesn't "love" clay and that is a fact. I am not saying 'love' as in having a love or likeness for the game. He is just not embracing the surface naturally as he should if he wants to win it. To me, there is no such thing as a "clay-courter". Nadal has this tendency to run down every ball when he plays and on clay, the ball bounces slower and this means that Nadal can retrieve the ball quicker and sends it back to you faster than you can say "Vamos". Nadal doesn't really have that much variety in shot-making as Federer. His serve isn't vicious and he despise coming to the net. Also, the sole reason why Federer was able to reach the finals for the past 3 years is that other than with Nadal and Djokovic, the gap with the rest of the players are simply too wide, irregardless of the surface. Federer needs to somehow find a way to consolidate his game with clay in order to face Nadal. If he must, he needs to "eat, breathe and live" on clay if that is what it takes.
@tennis_boy (102)
• Pakistan
4 Jul 08
roger federer now has to really think about the clay court now, its a serious problem for him.......basically Nadal is his problem and i think that Nadal is the most outstanding player of claycourt than eve Bjon Borg
@1hamm3r (180)
• Norway
11 Jun 08
Federer plays best at faster courts. It is not that he love or does'nt love clay. He has another playing style. He plays faster and more offensive than Nadal who play defensive. Thats why Federer rocks at grass. I really hope that Federer will win French Open too.
